Janet Brown in her newly enlarged showroom on Arthur Ashe Boulevard
In this age of stressful pandemic adjustments and virtual interior design platforms, designer Janet Brown has gone old school, expanding her Scott’s Addition showroom into the space she recently purchased next door to her shop at 1124 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Brown’s newly enlarged gallery provides display space for upholstered goods and case pieces, an expanded fabric and wallpaper library, artwork, and a selection of one-of-a-kind pieces for the home, as well as a bright, airy studio where she can work with clients.
The designer believes the showroom offers an important contrast to online or virtual decorating. “When clients come in, they can sit on the chair or the sofa,” Brown says. “They can really experience the arm height, the back height, the pitch. It’s tactile. You want to see the fabric, feel it, touch it.”
In addition to custom upholstery, Brown offers lampshades made from designer fabrics, plus bedding from high-end companies such as Matouk, SFERRA and Home Treasures. The team’s library also includes carpet samples and catalogs for upholstery and case goods.
A vignette at Janet Brown Interiors
The additional space also provides more room to showcase the unique, high-quality pieces — rare antique chairs, colorful glass items, unique paintings and more — that Brown takes pride and delight in curating. “I do love color, and particularly the way the light hits certain glass pieces. The light is great in here,” she says. “We have so many one-of-a-kind pieces. You won’t see the same thing twice. What catches one person’s eye might not catch another’s.”
Brown’s shop and showroom are filled with discoveries from her travels to various states and countries, like the blue-and-white pottery by artist George Pearlman she picked up on a recent trip to Maine. Brown concentrates on what a certain area of the world represents and what makes its pieces distinct.
Janet Brown Interiors is currently open for business by appointment; walk-in clients will not be turned away. Masks are required at all times.
